With Lord Shaftesbury as their figurehead, "ragged schools" provided a free education to impoverished children. The primary purpose of the schools, however, was the salvation of children's souls. Focusing on the interaction between teachers and scholars, this book provides an intimate account of the schools that challenges existing scholarship on evangelical child-saving movements and philanthropy in general.

Using promotional literature and local school documents, this book contrasts the public portrayal of children and teachers with that found in practice. It draws upon documental evidence from schools in Scotland and England, giving insight into the achievements and challenges of individual institutions. Furthermore, an intimate account is constructed using the journals maintained by Martin Ware, the superintendent of a North London school, alongside a cache of letters children sent to him. This combination of personal and national perspectives on this subject gives added nuance to the narratives that are often imposed onto historic philanthropic movements.

Investigating how children responded to the evangelistic messages and educational opportunities ragged schools offered them, this book will be of keen interest to scholars of Religious Studies and Religious History, as well as Education and Victorian History more generally.